In recent years, we have already shared our assessment of E-Learning trends for the upcoming year with you. Of course, we want to continue this tradition and present you with our top E-Learning methods and use cases for digital education in 2023 this year.
That videos and blended learning have been the frontrunners of digital learning methods for years has been mentioned on the blog several times. The current trend study from the mmb Institute also shows that digital learning continues to gain relevance. The top learning formats have hardly changed compared to the previous year. Therefore, we want to focus less on specific content methods this year. It should be about ways to integrate further training into the work context and how you, as a training coordinator, can create the necessary conditions for it.
E-Learning Methods for 2023: Which Trends Remain Relevant?
Keyword: Lifelong learning! Further training no longer means sitting in a conference room for a day and then going home without any learning effect. Continuing education is becoming an integral part of everyday work and is not checked off with a single event. We want to continuously develop and therefore need enough learning content that we can access in the situation of need. Ideally digitally and permanently. Moreover, COVID-19 has pushed us more or less into digital learning, making further education more digital and flexible. It is no surprise that more and more E-Learning methods have been established in recent years that specifically target this aspect of flexibility.
Which E-Learning method suits you depends, of course, on your purpose – after all, E-Learning is not the same as E-Learning! Apart from classics like blended learning, the following methods stand out for us:
1. Microlearning
Through TikTok and Co., our attention spans are getting shorter. That’s why microlearning has been one of the leading digital learning methods for years. The advantage? Short, self-contained learning units that are accessible anytime, anywhere! It doesn’t matter whether the learning content is a short text, a video, or a quiz – it should, however, be completed in a maximum of 2 to 5 minutes.
Microlearning can also be combined with other trends and is suitable for almost any further training topic. We have summarized how you can implement your own microlearnings in the ultimate microlearning guide.
2. On-demand Learning
Many employees often lack the time to participate in further training focused. Nevertheless, it is still common in many companies to rely on full-day seminars. As a suitable complement to microlearning (AND in the spirit of lifelong learning), it makes sense to learn “on the go.” That is, whenever it fits into the schedule. No matter what device is currently at hand.
The learning process takes place online on a corresponding learning platform. This way, you as a training coordinator can ensure that your learning content is bundled and truly accessible anytime and anywhere.
Further education on all devices, effortlessly with the blink.it learning platform!
3. Hybrid Learning
Since COVID-19, we have said goodbye to mass events in some areas. Large business trips for seminars or conferences are increasingly falling by the wayside. After all, they don’t necessarily have to take place on-site – or at least not with the entire team. This not only saves travel time but is also resource-saving. Hybrid models are becoming increasingly popular. It’s no surprise that this trend is also reflected in further education.
In hybrid learning, course participants often split from the beginning into in-person and online participants. In live sessions, absent participants are simply connected digitally to the seminar room. Of course, both participant groups can also independently participate in asynchronous online content.
Digital Learning in 2023: Create the Conditions
The presented learning methods have a lot in common: they all aim for short, flexible learning units that do not bind learners to a fixed learning location. With the following measures, training coordinators can support employees in the internal learning process:
Learning Culture: Create conditions for digital further education in the company so that learning becomes a central part of everyday work. Become a role model yourself and make the learning culture visible.
Self-Determination: Say goodbye to predefined, self-contained further training offers. Allow employees to determine learning times, learning locations, and learning content themselves – all in the spirit of self-organized learning.
Flexibility: Learning must take place in the right environment and at the right time. Exactly when it is needed and fits into the schedule. Learning content that is accessible anytime and from any device supports this.
Technical Requirements: For employees to learn in the situation of need, technical hurdles must be overcome. After all, the focus is on the content. Questions like “What was my password again?” or “Do I have to download something for this?” shouldn’t even arise.
Suitable Learning Platform: To ensure that all learning materials can be bundled in one place, a learning platform or LMS is very helpful. It should be easy to use – both for learners and for you as the course leader. Only then can everyone focus on the actual learning content.
6 E-Learning Topics That Are Important for 2023
Finally, we would like to introduce you to six training formats and content topics that could play a central role in the upcoming year.
Soft Skill Training: In the coming years, soft skills in the areas of problem-solving, self-management, collaboration with others, and technical skills will become increasingly relevant. This is shown in a report by the World Economic Forum that examines the change in required soft skills over the past five years.
User-Generated Content: In everyday work, there is often little time to engage deeply with the design of training concepts. Therefore, it makes sense to utilize existing knowledge from the team and allow employees to create learning content themselves.
Social Learning: At its core, learning is always social. After all, it often involves exchanging ideas and learning from one another. This also works in the work context, for example, in small learning groups that meet regularly.
Personalized Learning Content: We learn best when learning content matches our tasks and requirements. Therefore, it is worthwhile for training coordinators to take this extra step. Because this increases learning success!
Adaptive Learning: Here, too, the principle of individual learning content applies. In contrast to personalized learning, you only provide a selection of learning content here. Your learners build their own further education course from it that fits their needs and questions.
Learning Journey: Learning paths help your learners achieve their set goals. In this context, it is important to focus on both learning phases and transfer phases – only then does optimal knowledge transfer in everyday work succeed.
You see: This year we encounter many E-Learning methods that we already know from previous years. An important change is mainly the focus on individual learners. Pre-packaged, uniform courses are a thing of the past! In the future, learners will determine for themselves what and how they learn. Only then does further education fulfill its purpose.
What do you think? Which learning trends will be particularly successful this year? Which ones do you want to implement yourself? Feel free to share your thoughts with us. 😊
